Architecture, Design and Conservation
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Aarhus School of Architecture // Design School Kolding // Royal Danish Academy
Designing Inclusive Spaces Colfelt, Solvej
Publication date:
2012
Document Version:
Early version, also known as pre-print
Link to publication
Citation for pulished version (APA):
Colfelt, S. (2012). Designing Inclusive Spaces: Wayfinding in Hospital Complexes. Poster session presented at CWUAAT, Cambridge, United Kingdom.
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Download date: 30. Jul. 2022
Informationboard, useless because of amount of information and lack of contrast
Colourcode floorsign inconsistent with colour on wallsign
Center 1, inconsistency in colourcoding; main decoration green, centersign blue
Wallsign, red text is emergency department according to usual code
Pylonsign + wallsign and waitingarea, center 3. Yet two more types of signs
Main entrance, glaced facade towards south, curtains drawn most of the year to avoid blinding
Building model, Hvidovre Hospital - note lay out
Meant to be main corridor - visual access to the outside
Sidealley directionsign, abides rules for placement, simplicity, colour contrast and luminance
Purpose of Project:
The object of the project is concerned with estab- lishing which elements of the design of the built environment - hospital complexes, has an effect on wayfinding behaviour. Theres is a lack of research emphasizing the relation between architectural de- sign and wayfinding. The phd-project investigates til fragmentary beginning of architectural wayfinding research, the theories developped and test it against casestudies of three danish hospitalcomplexes differ- entiated by typology approach.
Background:
In many parts of the western world communities intend to make large investments in healthcare. This develop- ment will create hospital complexes the size of small cities. Wayfinding in medium size hospitals, between 200-400 beds, is often already a big problem. A Lancet research article1 shows that an investigated American hospital of 300 beds has a yearly loss of 4500 staff- hours due to staff being disturbed in their primary func- tions by patients and visitors who have lost their way within the compound. Based on the average level of Danish wages this equals a sum of DKK 1.3 million.
Relation to accessibility issues:
The project takes part in a bigger attempt at the
Architecture School of Aarhus, Denmark, to contribute through teaching and research in making the
grounds for a public environment more accessible to all. Previous research at the school has primarily been concerned with design for disabilities. This project literally looks at accessibility for all and turns towards architectural typologies which to some degree are perceived to be inaccessible for all.
Hospitalcomplexes have proven to be inaccessible to a lot of people regardless of age or disabilities though not unaffected by these factors. In most societies it is an accepted fact explained (or excused) by the complexity. By looking into the relation between the wayfindingproblem of hospitalcomplexes and design this project wants to question this acceptance.
Methods:
In order to investigate the relation between
design and wayfinding in hospitalcomplexes three casestudies were conducted in three different large hospitalcomplex typologies. Multiple methods were used to explore wayfinding behaviour, the wayshowing intentions and the actual setting of Hvidovre Hospital in order to recognize the wayfinding parametres in use and possibly establish a hierarchi among them.
1. INTERVIEWS
Employees and the principal architect were interview- ed with regard to their intentions and experiences with wayfinding in the complex.
2. PHOTO-REGISTRATION
The main corridors of the hospital were registered. For ethical reasons no photos of patients or visitors were taken.
3. OBSERVATION OF USER
Wayfinding problems are already recognized in the hospital and a new signage system is currently under construction. Two-day observations of patients and visitors intended to find the nature of the problem and the related behaviour rather than demonstrating the frequency of the problem. The reports from these consequently consist in examples of behaviour.
Wayfinding:
Wayfinding research is an object in many diverse sciences: psychology, neurology and navigation to name some. In design research the concept is introduced by Kevin Lynch. He proposes the following five parameters as constituting elements for finding your way within the urban landscape:
1)EDGE 2)NODE 3)PATH 4)DISTRICT 5)LANDMARK
His 50 years old book ”The image of the city”, remains the most thorough work which attempts to describe or examine in depth which design elements are engaged in human wayfinding. Jerry Weisman, on the basis of his own research combined with theoretical derivations suggests the following design parametres which are supposed to affect wayfinding in the interior of built environments:
1)PLANCONFIGURATION 2)SIGNAGE
3)VISUAL ACCESS
4)DIFFERENTIATION IN INTERIOR
Wayshowing:
Signage is considered as being inevitable as a guiding device in building complexes. Together with plan configuration they are, according to Gunnar Gundersen (2009), usually the two factors taken into consideration in architectonical praxis to secure accessibility and orientation in the design of building complexes. Research has been carried out in how signage works: This research investigates the required attributes of typography, contrast, size, positions according to eye-level and distances a.s.f.
That is investigations in how signage works in direct relation to the viewer.
Mike O Neill (1991) found that the fastest travel- rate was achieved in smaller less complex buildings with no signs, compared to bigger complexes with signs. Signs reduce the relative travel speed. Textual signs represent a bigger reduction in travel speed than graphic signs, whereas textual signs reduce the amount of backtracking. As suggested by Mollerup (2005) a building ideally explains itself. This is supported by the findings of O´Neill (1991). Despite this knowledge signage is a going mayor designfactor in creation of buildings as stated by Gunnar
Gundersen (2009.
Analysis and findings:
Reactions of stress and anxiety tending to panic combined with hasty movements were common observations of wayfinding behaviour in patients and visitors in the ground level main corridor.
A simple plan configuration, heavy signage and differentiation in interior lay-out is also observed.
Thereby 3 off the design parametres put foreward by Jerry Weismann (1981) is fulfilled. Only one of the parametres is not in use; The design of visual access to landmarks in or outside the complex. Still observations show that feeling lost is a common feeling among the user. When it comes to signage the information board giving the broad overlook of the whole setting seem useless to the users. In general the observations point to signs rarely being used at Hvidovre Hospital and users seeking personal contact.
References:
-Abelone Dyrup, (2009), Hvidovre Hospitals Maintenance, int -Arthur, P. & Passini, R., (1992), Wayfinding-People, Signs and Architecture, McCraw Hill Ryerson Limited
-Carpman, J.R. & Grant, M. A., (1996), Healthcare Design, red. Marberry, S.O., Wileys NY, p 275-292
- Force Technology, (2006), LEAN and Humanfactors
- Gunnar Gundersen, (2009), Principal architect of Hvidovre Hospital, Interview
- Joowon Ahn, (2006), Wayfinding at the East Campus of Cayuga Medical Center Ithaca, NY, Department of Design and Environmental Analysis, Cornell University, New York,USA
-Kruijff, E. (2000), Wayfinding, Forelæsnings PP, Bauhaus-Universitaet Weimar & GMD
-Lynch, K., (1960), Image of the City, M.I.T. Press, USA -McCarthy, M., (2004), Healthy Design, The Lancet vol 364
-Mollerup, Per, (2005), Wayshowing, Lars Muller Publishers, Baden -O´Neill, M.J., (1991), Effects on Signage and Floorplan Configuration on Wayfinding Accuracy, Environment and Behaviour, 23:5, Sage Publications, p. 553-574
-Passini, R., (1985), Proceedings of the International Conference on Building Use and Safety Technology, Signsystems, Maps and Wayfinding, s 35-41, National Institute of Building Sciences, Washington D.C., USA
-Sanders, M.S. & McCormick, E.J. (1992), Human Factors in Engineering and Design, McCraw-Hill, Singapore
-Saunte, E. Mf, (1966), Dommerbetænkning til Hvidovre Hospital, Arkitekten
-Weisman, Jerry (1981), Evaluating Architectural Legibility: Wayfinding in the built Environment, Environment and Behaviour, 13:2, Sage Publications, p-184-204,
1 McCarthy, M., (2004), Healthy Design, The Lancet vol 364
Main corridor - decorated with specific figure
Walldecoration in Arrivalhall - ambient athmosphere but empty because of change in logisitics
Hospitalfacade towards Kettegaard Allé reveals nothing of the simple lay out of the structure
